Kalidas has a temple to his name in Orissa

Kendrapara (Orissa), Jun 23 (PTI) Sanskrit might have
lost its eminence in today's world but residents of a remote
village in the coastal eastern state of Orissa worship
Sanskrit poet Kalidas even to this day.

The birthday of the great poet, who is believed to have
graced the court of Chandragupta Vikramaditya of the Gupta
dynasty in the fourth century, was celebrated with much
fanfare over the weekend.

A miniature temple dedicated to the author of 'Abhigynam
Shakuntalam' finds its place in sleepy Babkarpur hamlet, 12 km
from here, and has a rock-cut idol of Kalidas.

Though there is no recorded history of the temple, it
appears to be a century-old with Kalidas being worshipped on a
daily basis with priests offering puja as per Hindu tradition.

Noted Sanskrit researcher Dillip Dutta is fascinated with
the annual ritual.

"I rushed to the village to trace the unique legacy ...
Initially I was under the impression that people had mistaken
him to be a Hindu God and installed the idol in the temple,"
he said.

"But locals are well aware that they are worshipping the
great Sanskrit poet. For them he is God," says Dutta.

The temple might have come up with the patronage of the
local zamindar during the British reign, says Dutta.

Elderly in the village are great lovers of Kalidas's
lyrical compositions 'Ritusamharam', 'Meghadutam',
'Kumarsambhavam', 'Malavikagnimitram' besides 'Abhigyanam
Shakuntalam' though the youths are mostly ignorant about the
literary greatness of the poet, he said.

Orissa Energy Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak graced
Kalidas's birthday celebrations this time. PTI COR
SCY